


Temptation

by chasethewind



Series: The Aftermath Series [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Angst, Comfort Sex, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Shower Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-03
Updated: 2013-08-03
Packaged: 2017-12-22 08:27:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/911041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasethewind/pseuds/chasethewind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was hurting much more than he cared to admit, but she could see it in his eyes. He needed her just as she'd needed him. Would it hurt to cross the line one more time? The follow up to Aftermath.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Sorry for all the teasing I've done on Tumblr with this story. But now it's finally ready for posting! This is just part 1 of three. Two is almost ready while three is still being written, so please be patient. The muse has been very fickle lately, wanting to work on three stories at once, so her focus is all over the place.
> 
> Thanks again, Nancy, for taking time out of your busy schedule to help me edit this and make it that much better. The changes you made were absolutely perfect for the story!
> 
> Disclaimer: My original idea, but I don't own the characters or the show. Just trying to be creative.
> 
> Please note: This story is rated M for a reason. Viewer discretion is advised! And please, for the love of god, practice safe sex!

'Oh, dear God, what is she wearing?' The question popped into Oliver Queen's mind the moment he set foot in his lair.

Standing in front of the coffee pot she'd fought so vehemently for, Felicity Smoak was pouring a cup of the rich black liquid. A cream pencil skirt hugged the curves of her hips, while a black silk button down short sleeved top fitted perfectly to accentuate her upper body, and sky high black leather pumps easily brought her 5'4" frame up three inches. Her usual ponytail had been replaced with a tight bun at the top of her head and her lips were that fire engine red they had been the night of the casino incident.

It stopped Oliver in his tracks. He couldn't tear his eyes away and his mouth went dry. He hadn't been able to get their encounter out of his mind. The way her skin felt beneath his fingers, the way she'd cried his name, the way her body reacted to his touch; Oliver was at a loss. He wanted nothing more than to feel her beneath him again, hear her scream his name in the throes of passion, but they'd tentatively agreed it was a onetime thing.

That didn't stop Oliver from dreaming about her at night or waking up in a cold sweat calling her name. Actually, it made him want Felicity even more knowing that he couldn't have her. She was, for all intents and purposes, the best and worst thing for him right now. With everything he'd learned the night they'd found Walter still playing through his mind, Oliver knew running to her would only end in heartbreak for both of them.

But the fantasies would not let up. If anything, they grew more vivid as the days went by. It seemed that Felicity's wardrobe choices were taunting him. For the past week, she'd worn little dresses and high heels; at this point her little cardigans were showing up in his increasingly erotic dreams. Staring at her now, he could feel the tension in his body strung tight like the string of his bow before an arrow was released.

Felicity turned as she took a sip of her coffee and jumped when she saw Oliver watching her with those smoldering blue eyes. Her heart caught in her throat. That look brought back memories of their wayward tryst, setting her own desires ablaze as she tried to swallow back the lump in her throat.

A gentle smile curled her lips, "Hi."

For a moment, Oliver forgot how to speak. Watching those bright red lips smile up at him, his heart began to race. It was hard to resist the temptation to walk up to Felicity and wrap his arms around her, bringing her in for the heated kiss he so desperately wanted from her.

When his brain finally caught up, he hurried to reply. "Hi."

Although they'd seen each other every day for the past week, this awkward exchange had played itself out time and again. Oliver could barely stand the tension and he could see in the way Felicity looked at him with those gorgeous blue eyes that she, too, was in the midst of inner turmoil over their night together.

Taking a deep breath to clear her mind of her feelings, Felicity walked to her desk and set down her coffee. Flipping through a file folder with some intel she'd found on his mother's betrayal, Felicity quickly scanned through it trying to focus on her work instead of the way his eyes had settled on her back. It was unnerving in the sexiest of ways. There was nothing she wanted to do more than jump his bones again, but the possibility of screwing up their working relationship trumped her sex drive.

The silence had become deafening. She needed to find something to do if her mind was to get off sex any time soon.

"We should really get started on these leads," Felicity said. Chancing a sideways glance at her boss, she could still see Oliver staring at her, that contemplative look lingering in his eyes. Flicking her attention back to her work, she tried not to wonder what he was thinking.

The war going on inside Oliver's head had completely distracted him. Hearing her voice forced him to glance at Felicity to find her gazing at him sideways. She didn't seem fazed by his demeanor or his lack of interest in what was going on. Had she so easily managed to forget they had been lovers just a few days prior? How had she put her feelings aside so quickly? Was she putting on a front for him? Did she dream about him as well?

In one swift motion, he was standing behind her. "Do you think about me?"

"Yes." The question was so unexpected that Felicity's mind did what it was accustomed to doing: saying exactly what was going on in her head. Felicity scrambled to add, "I'm always thinking about you. You're my friend. How could I not think about you?"

"Not like that," Oliver replied.

The weight of his words fell on her just like the weight of his hands on her shoulders. He trailed them down her bare arms until they came to rest at her bent elbows. Felicity's mind raced. She knew what he meant. Her heart leapt in her chest; he'd been thinking about her as well. Why else would Oliver bring this up?

"Oh, um…" Felicity couldn't find the words. Her skin flushed involuntarily as her mind brought forth the images she'd dreamed these past few nights. His lips pressed to her skin, his fingers grabbing fistfuls of her hair, his voice as it sang out her name in ecstasy… A chill ran down her spine as she closed her eyes and tried to push the thoughts out of her mind.

But with Oliver so close, she could feel the heat of his body radiating straight into her back. It felt so right yet so wrong knowing that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Except this wasn't the relationship Felicity had in mind right now. Sex was a great release for pent up energy and frustration, but they were also friends. They worked in close proximity with each other, had started doing missions together. Getting physical again had the potential to blow up in their faces.

No, Felicity thought to herself as she pulled out of his grasp. She couldn't let this happen again. She valued their friendship too much. But a small part of her, buried somewhere deep in the caged confines of her brain, told her to stop acting like a fool.  _Oliver Queen is yours for the taking. All you have to do is turn around._

"Felicity…" The soft pleading tone of his voice startled her. Blue eyes opened, but she didn't turn around. She couldn't. It was too much. Facing Oliver right now would be a mistake, especially when her feelings for him were at an all time high. His hand fell to her hip and she felt herself being pressed to his side.

"I need to know," Oliver whispered into her ear.

Felicity could feel his breath fan out against her skin. It shook her to the core. Did he know what kind of effect he had on her at this very moment? Her heart sped up as his hand slid around her waist and pulled her flush against him. It was the final straw.

Letting out a shaky breath, Felicity finally turned around to face him. What she saw in his eyes ignited the flames of her desires, and she could no longer take the heat. It pooled between her legs as she became weak in the knees. Oliver's eyes were that same cobalt color she'd seen the night of their tryst. Her mouth went dry and she licked her lips in an effort to calm herself.

Her tongue tracing the edges of her mouth only served to turn Oliver on even more. He reached up and traced that same line with his thumb, feeling her warm breath as it panted against his skin. Yes, she felt it too. There was no denying the fire in her baby blue eyes. She was barely holding it together, and when his thumb reached the other side of her mouth, she moaned, "Yes."

There was nothing in the world that could stop him now. Oliver bent down and pressed his lips to hers. Felicity's arms came around his neck, holding tight as her fingers filtered through his hair. The need and desperation he felt as she kissed back fueled his desire. He pushed her against the desk, laying her down as tongues clashed in a battle over dominance.

"Oliver," she moaned, her head rolling back as his lips trailed down her chin and to her neck. He stopped at her pulse point, nipping at her skin until she moaned again. It reverberated off the walls of the cavernous room causing him to smile.

Felicity's breaths came in short gasps as his hands began to roam over her body. One found its way to her silk clad breast while the other ran up her inner thigh, stopping only when it reached the hem of her skirt. All her noble intentions of staying friends were quickly erased when Oliver's lips dipped lower, teeth scraping along her collarbone as yet another moan escaped her mouth.

The taste of her skin, the sound of his name; it was better than Oliver remembered. When he reached the edge of her silk shirt, his hands came up and began to unbutton it. He laid kisses over every inch of skin he exposed and felt the ragged breaths that escaped her lungs as he did so.

Grabbing hold of his grey sweater and the t-shirt beneath, Felicity began to pull it out from the waistband of his jeans. She needed to feel his skin beneath her fingers. The deep desire she felt to have Oliver back in her arms overpowered all of her senses and clouded her judgment.

A throat cleared and both Oliver and Felicity shot up. Several feet behind them stood Diggle, a slightly shocked yet bemused expression on his face. Oliver moved to stand in front of her as she redid the abalone buttons of her shirt. The mortified look on her face mirrored his as she slid off the desk and stood on shaky legs.

"Am I interrupting something?" Diggle couldn't hide the amusement in his voice. They looked like two teenagers caught making out by their parents.

He'd seen the way they'd been looking at each other the entire week. Something had happened during his self-imposed sabbatical from the team that had finally forced Oliver and Felicity to face their feelings for each other, and Diggle knew exactly what it was.

The way they'd been acting so awkward around each other, even more so than was typical, had been the first clue. Oliver's longing glances at the feisty blonde had been another. Felicity's lack of babbling when she talked to him was the final nail in the coffin. They'd done the deed and were now trying to figure out what came next.

Oliver struggled with his composure as he tried to rake in his emotions. He wasn't used to being caught off guard, especially in situations such as these. "No," he finally managed to mutter before turning to Felicity. Her face was beet red and an unintentional smile crossed his lips as he gazed down at her. "We'll finish this later," he whispered in her ear before placing a soft kiss against her cheek.

"I need to, um, bathroom," Felicity stammered as she rushed past the two men, her hand covering her face to hide the roaring blush that had spread from her cheeks all the way to her chest. She needed to get out of there and check herself in a mirror to assess just how bad she looked. Her heart still beat out a crazy rhythm as she ascended the stairs and stepped into the club. This was going to be a long day.

"So, you and Felicity…" Diggle began, but was quickly cut short by the deadly glare from the man in front of him.

"Don't," Oliver warned, his voice low and rough. If Diggle hadn't walked in when he did, things would have gotten so much more complicated between them. But the urgency with which Felicity had kissed back made him realize he wasn't the only one who wanted to explore things.

The subject was dropped immediately in favor of something a little more pressing: Moira Queen's involvement in the Undertaking. Oliver had taken a seat on a stool beside his work table, bow in hand, as even mentioning her brought him back into the darkness. He tried hard not to think about the fact that ever since he got back, all his mother had done was lie to him. But it only served to make his anger worse.

Diggle was going through intel on Felicity's computer when she walked back down the stairs. She'd changed from the skirt and silk shirt into something a little more comfortable (and a little less revealing) in order to take control of her feelings again. A mustard colored black lace placement dress paired with black tights and furry black boots made her feel a little more at ease, as did putting her hair in its usual ponytail. Neither man acknowledged her with more than a nod. Felicity took a seat in front of her monitors and listened in on the conversation, pulling up phone records for Moira Queen in the process.

"I've been watching your mother for days now, Oliver, and nothing. She goes to work, she comes home. Occasionally, she goes out to dinner. She seems to like the salmon tartar at Table Salt," Diggle was saying as he leaned towards Felicity's screens checking out what she'd been doing.

"I'm linked in to her home and office phone. Nothing out of the ordinary. No mention of Walter's abduction or the Undertaking, just a few innocuous calls to Malcolm Merlyn," Felicity added before turning around to face him directly. Brooding Oliver was back, and she could see that the direction this conversation was going would only serve to make him worse.

"Why wouldn't she call him? They're old friends. We're all old friends." Felicity was caught off guard by the sarcasm and disdain in Oliver's voice, although she caught the pain hiding behind the harshness.

Standing up, Felicity walked over to him. "Are you okay?" she asked, concern lacing her words as she stood in front of him. She could see this wasn't easy for Oliver. The change in him was so drastic, it was night and day. Gone were the fire and passion she'd found in his eyes earlier. They had been replaced with anger and steely resolve.

"My mom and my best friend's dad are involved in a conspiracy that may have dire consequences for this city. And I'm pretty sure they murdered my father. I'm not planning on using the word 'okay' anytime soon," Oliver answered.

Watching his eyes darken Felicity wanted to reach out and wrap her arms around him. She didn't want Oliver to be in this place any more than he did. It broke her heart to see him losing his faith in his family. If she were in his shoes, Felicity didn't know what she'd do. For now, though, she'd try and stay close just in case he reached out to her. It was all she could do.

"Listen, all we know for sure is that Malcolm and your mother are planning something for the Glades," Diggle said as he stepped over to Oliver as well.

"And that Walter and I were getting too close to it and that's why they had him kidnapped," Felicity added. A few flashes of their night together ran through her mind momentarily, and she did everything in her power to force them back down into her subconscious. This was not the time to be thinking about  _that_  again.

"We have to find out what this Undertaking is." Thankfully Diggle knocked her out of that dangerous place.

"I've got to ask her." Oliver's response nearly had her leaping to catch up to him as he sprang out of the chair and placed his bow back in its box.

"Woah, no. The last time the Vigilante paid your mom a visit, you got shot and I got to play doctor with you!" Felicity instantly regretted the words that flew out of her mouth as her hand came to her forehead, smoothing back her hair as she added, "Ugh. My brain thinks of the worst ways to say things." No matter what she did, her tryst with Oliver was still on her mind, and this just proved it.

Oliver was too preoccupied with his mission to dwell for long on the implications of Felicity's words. "This time it'll just be me asking. Friendly mother-son chat," he said, nodding at Diggle before he turned to go.

"What's going on?" Felicity asked as she swiveled in his direction, the concern clear on her face.

"I've gotta suit up," he replied before leaving as well.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Felicity yelled, the frustration in her voice echoing through the cavernous room. She hated being kept in the dark.

Diggle returned wearing Oliver's green leather and hood. He grabbed the bow and quiver before striding up to Felicity. "I'm just going to kidnap Oliver and Moira for a little while, maybe beat him up a bit until she talks."

"Wait, Oliver's okay with this?" she squeaked. "At least pull your punches. It's getting a little tiring having to stitch him up on a daily basis."

"I will," Diggle promised before he left the foundry.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "Bloodstained Heart" by Darren Hayes

Felicity was working on fixing a computer when out of the corner of her eye she saw Oliver step into the lair. When she looked up, her gaze widened in horror upon seeing the cuts and bruises scattered across his handsome face. She shot out of her seat in seconds, yelling, "Oh my god! Wh-!" Throwing a glare at Diggle, her accusatory tone said it all. "You said you were going to pull your punches!"

"I did!" he shot back.

Returning her attention to Oliver, her left hand fell to his arm as she said, "Let me get you an icepack for…" She raised her right hand in an attempt to comfort him, but his sideways glance told her to back off for the time being. "Everything," Felicity added, dropping her hand. As much as it hurt seeing him like this, it hurt more that he refused to acknowledge he was in pain.

Oliver turned to her and replied, "I'm fine." Having seen the genuine concern Felicity had towards him, he knew telling her he wasn't would only make her worry. The pain was tolerable, seeing the concern cross her soft features wasn't. What he needed right now was for her to focus, so he put her mind to work. "I need you to dig up everything you can on Unidac Industries."

Letting go of his arm, Felicity scurried over to her computers and pulled up everything she'd been working on in the past few hours that he'd been gone. Doing a quick search of the company in question pulled up several articles. "Well, we know Queen Consolidated acquired them seven months ago. That's when we met," she said, glancing up at him with a slight smile. Felicity watched as his lips twitched up for just a moment as their eyes met.

It was her smile that got to him. Oliver had to look away before his feelings from earlier that day returned. He knew now wasn't the time to be thinking about Felicity in  _that_  way, not after what he'd learned from his mother about Merlyn's plan to level the Glades. Yep, that's all he needed to remind himself that his mission was far more important than sex. Although when it came to sex with Felicity… 'STOP!' his mind practically shouted.

"I need information about what I don't know," Oliver said in order to put a lid on the sudden heat he felt rush through his body.

"Unidac is a small research and development technology company that specializes in seismic infringement," Felicity read off her screen as her fingers flew across the keyboard looking for more information.

Something suddenly clicked in Oliver's mind. "Merlyn plans on leveling the Glades with a device that triggers a man-made earthquake," he said.

"You're kidding." Felicity couldn't believe her ears. Her heart stopped in her chest. Whatever she'd been thinking about sex and Oliver was completely gone, replaced by sheer terror at the sudden realization that her beloved city was about to fall apart if they didn't stop him.

"What else does it say?" Oliver asked, refocusing her thoughts yet again. He knew where her mind had gone, but he needed to keep her focused in order for them to find out as much as they could about this nightmare scenario.

"More information on the stock auction and, you know the latest, what the media is calling-"

"The Unidac Massacre."

"There's no way this timing is a coincidence," Diggle finally chimed in. They both glanced at him.

"Oliver, there's a website claiming the police suspect the copy cat archer." Felicity's tone was almost urgent, drawing his eyes back to her screen.

"What?" He couldn't believe it, but for some reason it didn't surprise him as much as it should have.

"So the other archer works for Merlyn?" Diggle added. Slowly the connections were being made. One by one, the pieces of their seven month puzzle were finally starting to fall into place.

"He's tying up loose ends, erasing all evidence that this device exists, so no one can trace the devastation back to him," Oliver said.

"All right, so you're gonna have a pointed conversation with Mr. Merlyn," Diggle surmised.

"Well, even if I take out Merlyn, the other archer is still out there. He can set off the device. We need to find it. Then Merlyn can get his."

Having sat quiet long enough, Felicity decided to chime in with her thoughts, "Well, maybe there's another way to get Merlyn to tell us." She didn't want to have Oliver limping back to the lair again. He'd already been beat up enough these last few days. If she could save him some pain, she was going to.

"What do you have in mind?" Diggle asked.

"As I keep proving, people keep secrets, computers don't." She was focused on her monitors again, her fingers flying across the keyboard as her mind whirred into action.

"Felicity, are you hacking into the Merlyn Global mainframe?" She didn't have to look up to see the smile on Oliver's face when he said that. It was pretty clear in his voice that he'd basically read her mind.

"Hacking is such an ugly word. No. I'm..." Felicity thought for a moment to see if she could phrase it better, but Oliver was right. "Yeah, totally hacking into the Merlyn Global mainframe," she added with a smirk.

This was what Felicity lived for. She loved solving puzzles, and the Merlyn Global mainframe was one gigantic Rubik's cube to her at that moment. As she set about looking for a way into the heavily guarded network, she hazarded a glance at Oliver, who'd taken a seat beside his workbench and was staring at his bow again.

Getting up off her chair, Felicity made her way to him. She could see the heavy look in his eyes from across the room. His mind was running a mile a minute as he sat silently staring down at the bow. "Are you sure you don't want me to get you some ice?" she asked, still trying to ease some of his pain.

"I'm sure. I'll be fine," Oliver replied with a weak smile as he glanced up at her.

"You know by now I'm pretty keen on your bull shit, right?" Felicity pointed out, the corner of her mouth twitching up slightly as she stood in front of him.

"Yes," he muttered as his eyes dropped back into his lap. Only Felicity Smoak could see right through him like no one else could. She was privy to all his faults it seemed, especially lying. Yet she stayed, and that's all Oliver could ask for.

Felicity stepped closer until her tiny waist was between his knees and her hands were gently resting on his shoulders. "Then tell me you're not okay," she pleaded. She was hoping that today, of all days, Oliver wouldn't close himself off as he always did. That night they'd found Walter, she'd been openly honest with him about her feelings. She just wanted him to open up a little today and be honest as well.

Her right hand came up to stroke his cheek and he winced. "I'm not okay," Oliver whispered as he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. He owed as much to Felicity after all the care and concern she'd shown him throughout the day.

"Come here," she insisted, taking the bow out of his hands and putting it back in the box before wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing him in for a warm hug. His head dropped to her shoulder as he pulled her as close as physically possible.

Felicity was relieved to get him talking. She knew Oliver bottled things up inside far too much and his usual release was beating something senseless. Tonight, though, he was worn so thin she could see it in his eyes.

"I haven't been okay in a while," Oliver murmured into her ear. Arms circled around her waist, he relaxed against her body. It was the first time in hours that he'd been able to take a moment and just breathe. With all the things swirling around in his head, it was nice to have someone there simply for comfort.

"I know," Felicity sighed as she ran her hands along his back. Placing a soft kiss on his forehead, she ruffled her fingers through his hair. "You need rest, Oliver. Let me take you home," she offered.

"Home is the last place I want to be right now," he replied without lifting his head from her shoulder.

"I didn't mean your place, I meant mine," Felicity corrected. He pulled away and looked up at her, surprise clear in his blue eyes. Smiling, she took his hands and pulled him from the stool.

"What about… this?" Oliver motioned towards her computers.

"They're running diagnostics on the best route into the mainframe. It'll take a few hours." She grabbed her purse and keys then led him outside where the sun had started to dip below the horizon. The air was cold and crisp as they walked, hand in hand, down the back alley.

Oliver's silver DBS was parked behind her red Mini Cooper and Felicity paused for a moment to admire it. He tugged her towards it before she protested, "We can take my car."

"I like mine better," he replied before opening the door for Felicity.

"Okay, I won't argue," she said, sliding into the passenger's seat. Secretly, she was glad they were taking his car. The plush, Eifel green leather interior was much more comfortable than the cloth seats in her Mini. And the seat heaters were an indulgence on their own providing warmth from the chill of the night air. Felicity relaxed into the seat as he pulled out of the alley and headed to her apartment.

It took about twenty minutes to reach her place, and in that span, they sat in comfortable silence, her hand slipping into his as he waved through the light evening traffic. As they entered the brownstone, Felicity kicked off her shoes then turned to him and said, "Just take a seat at the kitchen table. I'm gonna get a few things from the bathroom and clean you up."

Oliver nodded and followed her lead, also kicked off his shoes before taking a seat. He was done lying to her about his injuries. Not only did his face hurt, his entire right side ached from hitting the ground. He'd braced himself when Diggle knocked him over, but it didn't hurt any less.

Gingerly easing himself into the chair, he glanced around her apartment and took it in. The last time he'd been here, he hadn't paid much attention to his surroundings. Felicity had been in such bad shape that his focus was solely on her. This evening was a different story. She had invited him in tonight with every intention of easing his pain and his mind.

The apartment was small but homely. It had an open floor plan with a living area off to the left and the kitchen to the right. Two large casement windows hung with lime green curtains let in the last flickering rays of light as the sun set over the horizon. Between them was a black TV stand with a 36 inch LCD TV sitting on top. Its top shelf held the cable box, the DVD player and a small Bose stereo while the bottom shelf was lined with DVD box sets, most of which were TV shows he'd never heard of.

Across from the TV was a single white microfiber couch draped in a lavender afghan that somehow managed to mix well with the lime green curtains. Off to its left sat a round folding chair that matched the color of the couch perfectly with a couple of lime green pillows haphazardly thrown into it. In front of the couch stood a simple black coffee table with a few issues of Wired magazine and a novel he couldn't read the title of neatly stacked on top.

Oliver's eyes moved around the room noting that the wall adjacent to the door was a solid black bookshelf filled with rows upon rows of novels and more DVDs. He noted the lack of CDs and figured someone as tech savvy as Felicity had probably switched to digital a long time ago. It was still something he was trying to get used to, having an iPod instead of a CD player, but the concept was growing on him.

The wall opposite the bookshelf was all exposed brick and matched the exterior of the brownstone. At some point it had probably been its outer wall before being expanded and converted into the current space. A black sofa table sat in the center flanked by two tall black lamps that Felicity had turned on before stepping into her bedroom. They gave the room a soft glow as night fell over Starling City.

His eyes shifting to the left, the exposed brick wall continued with only a small opening that led to a hallway where Oliver assumed was Felicity's bedroom. He skipped over the threshold and glanced at the kitchen. It was on the small side, but sleek and modern with an island at its center that held a stainless steel range. Two stainless steel chairs with white cushions stood along the opposite end. Black cabinets curved around the space holding a stainless steel refrigerator and dishwasher. They were accented by grey granite countertops and matching sink with a stainless steel faucet.

That left only the dining room where Oliver was seated. The black and white theme continued into this space. He was seated at a square black table with a white cushioned chair on each side. A white table runner spanned the length of the table and was accented by a silver three tiered candle holder with a lavender candle in the center and two lime green candles on either side of it.

The most notable features of the entire living space were the large photo canvases that hung from the walls at different heights, all of the same subject: thunderstorms. They weren't the kind Oliver was used to, the kind that rolled through the city making loud noises and occasionally flooding the streets. These were massive monsters that stretched for miles across wide open plains. Vivid hues of green grass, blue sky, gray clouds and pink sunsets captivated him. He'd never seen anything like them, their terrifying magnificence capturing his imagination.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Felicity asked as she stepped back into the room holding a bowl of water and a washcloth.

Oliver's eyes settled on her as he nodded. "Yeah, they're pretty amazing. Did you take these?" he asked.

"My friend, Arianna, took them all and has been giving them to me as birthday gifts because I love them so much. She's a meteorology grad student at the University of Oklahoma and works on those big projects that go out every spring to study severe weather. That's why all her photos look so amazing," Felicity rambled as she set the bowl on the table and left the washcloth to soak in it. "Damn, forgot the hydrogen peroxide. Be right back." And she was off again leaving Oliver to chuckle at the ways her mind worked.

The room was suddenly filled with soft music as Felicity came scurrying back holding a brown bottle in one hand and a remote in the other. "I hope you don't mind. Music helps me focus, especially when there's blood involved," she said, placing the bottle and remote beside the bowl.

"Not at all," Oliver replied. He remained quiet for a few moments, listening to the lyrics that floated from the speakers.

_Love, you're in pieces_  
 _There's no one left to lay you down_  
 _Or say its okay_  
 _On the worst night, of the worst year_  
 _Though we might fall, we'll go out punching_ __  


_You hit me like a subway train_  
 _And I'll never be the same_  
 _And darling I'll follow you down to the ground_  
 _Even when you fall apart_  
 _I'll pick up your bloodstained heart_  
 _And darling I'll follow you down to the ground_ __  


"Interesting choice," Oliver noted. He'd never heard the song before, but the lyrics struck a chord in him he couldn't ignore. They echoed his life in a startling way, especially as it played out now. He began to wonder if she'd chosen the song because of him or if it had just popped up on her playlist. Either way, he glanced at the woman standing in front of him as she averted her gaze seemingly realizing what had happened.

A red flush blossomed over Felicity's cheeks as she bowed her head hoping he wouldn't see the embarrassment. "I've got my iPod on shuffle," she stammered. It was true. She'd turned on the stereo and just hit play not paying attention to the choice of song before it was too late. Felicity was mortified that the one song she felt perfectly described his life, and maybe a little of her feelings towards him, had chosen to play itself just as she was about to clean up his wounds.

"No." Oliver placed his hand on her forearm as she reached over to pick up the remote. Felicity glanced down at him. The blush had spread from her cheeks all the way to her neck and spilled over her chest. He found it as endearing as her rambling. "I like it."

"You do?" she asked, refocusing her attention on his bruised face and the washcloth that lay soaking in the warm water. Relief flooded through Felicity as she visibly relaxed.

"Yeah. Who is this? Sounds familiar."

"It's 'Bloodstained Heart' by Darren Hayes. You might remember him from Savage Garden." Felicity moved into the kitchen and opened the hanging cabinet closest to the dining area to pull out a package of cotton balls and bandages just in case she needed them.

Oliver thought for a moment. The band name rang a bell, and he searched the recesses of his mind looking for a reason why. "Didn't they sing that song… 'Truly, Madly… something?" It was on the tip of his tongue, but she got to it first.

"Truly, Madly, Deeply, yes!" Felicity exclaimed as she placed the supplies on the table. "That was one of my favorite songs. I would play it over and over again to the point where my dad would threaten to throw out the CD if he had to hear it one more time."

Chuckling, Oliver replied, "Wow, I didn't realize you were such a sap."

"Oh, please, you're still into Fall Out Boy!" Felicity rolled her eyes as she wrung out the washcloth. She dabbed it along the right side of Oliver's face, pulling back when he winced. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"It's fine," he said, placing his hand over hers and stroking it gently. "It's not that bad."

Felicity froze, her blue eyes widening slightly as she gazed down at him. She could feel heart begin to beat a little faster in her chest, the thudding increasing when his eyes settled on hers. Every fiber of her being told her not to stare, that she her thoughts would wander to places they shouldn't.

Her eyes dropped immediately to the washcloth. "Just tell me if I'm hurting you and I'll stop," she mumbled.

"I will." Oliver promised. His smile caught her off guard and she sucked in a shaky breath. He almost smirked, clearly seeing the effect he was having on Felicity, but decided against it. There was plenty of time for that in the future. Right now, he was content with letting her play doctor, as she so eloquently put it earlier. His focus returned to the song playing over the speakers.

_In the gutter_  
 _Where you're starless, and blind to dreams_  
 _We can dream each other_  
 _To a new day_  
 _Where the good guys always win_  
 _And heaven still means something_ __  


_You hit me like a subway train_  
 _And I'll never be the same_  
 _And darling I'll follow you down to the ground_  
 _Even when you fall apart_  
 _I'll pick up your bloodstained heart_  
 _And darling I'll follow you down to the ground_ __  


"Bloodstained Heart" continued to play in the background allowing Felicity to focus on her work instead of the man sitting in front of her. She took a deep breath to steady her still racing heart before she continued her gentle ministrations. With every swipe of her hand, a layer of dried blood and dirt came off on the cloth. She realized now that he'd never properly cleaned the cuts.

As she continued wiping, the true extent of Oliver's injuries became clear. Diggle had done a number on him, but she knew it could have been so much worse. At least there wasn't much bruising beneath all the grime.

The washcloth began to turn a dirty shade of pink as she moved to the other side of his face. Flipping it to the clean part, Felicity dabbed it in the warm water again before wiping it across his cheek. The entire time, Oliver sat there in quiet contemplation. His expression was soft, his eyes following the movements of her hands as they went to dip the cloth into the water then return to his battered face.

_Love, when you're in pieces_  
 _There's no one left to dry your eyes_ __  


It was hard to tune out the way Oliver looked at her. Felicity felt when his blue eyes settled over her body, sending her nerves dancing and her heart racing. But she liked it. No other man had ever done that to her. And the way the calloused pads of his fingers stroked her skin; it sent shockwaves all the way into the depths of her soul.

She was having trouble focusing her attention on his injuries as threads of their night together floated through her mind. His mouth pressing against hers, his hands tangling in her hair, his voice as it cried her name… Felicity licked her lips as she placed the washcloth into the now dirty bowl of water, her job done. As she went to pick it up, Oliver's hand on her wrist stopped her.

Their eyes met. His had darkened since the last time she gazed into them. The look was one she had come to know all too well in her dreams since the night of her tryst. It was the look he'd given her earlier that day in the foundry right before he'd kissed her. A shiver ran down Felicity's spine. The heat was becoming too much to handle as it pooled between her legs. Her body screamed to lean in and close the gap between their lips, but she waited.

Oliver's gaze never wavered. He stared at her, watching her eyes suddenly darken with the desire she'd been holding back for the past week. His fingers traced up her arm until they settled on the back of her neck, stroking it gently as she sucked in another shaky breath. Snaking his other arm around her waist, he pulled Felicity into his lap making her gasp.

Lips mere breaths apart, their eyes remained locked in a battle over who would crack first. If Oliver was going to play proximity card, Felicity got ready to one up him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let her fingers fall between his shoulders just barely skimming up and down his spine. He was as tense as his bow string now, desperate for release but refusing to give in. The edges of her mouth curled up.

Moving his fingers along her neck, Oliver's thumb ran over her jaw before curving up across her lips. In a move that would be his undoing, Felicity opened her mouth and wrapped her lips around it. He was instantly mesmerized by the way her tongue swirled over the tip, a tantalizing taste of what was to come. His breath caught in his throat as he stared at her, wide blue eyes shocked into silence by her forwardness.

The seductive smile playing across her lips when she let go forced him into action. Oliver cupped her face and brought her lips to his. The effect was immediate. Felicity's arms tightened around his neck. She kissed back with fervor, softly moaning when his hands found their way to her bottom and began to knead it.

_You hit me like a subway train_  
 _And I'll never be the same_  
 _And darling I'll follow you down to the ground_  
 _Even when you fall apart_  
 _I'll pick up your bloodstained heart_  
 _And darling I'll follow you down to the ground_ __  


Images of clothing scattered across the floor at their feet floated through Oliver's mind as she dragged her lips along his jaw, over his chin and along his neck until Felicity found his weakness. It was a spot at the hollow of his neck, and when her lips made contact with it, he groaned, sinking his fingers deeper into her flesh. She lingered over that spot, her tongue gently tasting him there for several long, tantalizing moments.

"Felicity," he moaned her name, those lips driving him mad with rampant desire. Oliver needed to feel them against his again. His right hand tugged her ponytail down, freeing her lips so he could capture them. It was her turn to moan, her fingers sliding over his shoulders and down along his chest until they reached his hips. They stopped there to undo the button of his jeans before slipping beneath the denim and over his hardening arousal.

Oliver tore his lips away and stared at her as he held her face in her hands. Her fingers continued their ministrations as she started back at him with her baby blue gaze. In her eyes he found what he was looking for: the wild need and passion that matched his own, and the permission to continue. He ran his thumb against her cheek, but Felicity turned her head, capturing it in her mouth again and sucking gently. That was all it took for him into turn into putty in her hands. His mind no longer had control over his body. Her hands, her fingers and her lips held the power now.

Felicity took the lead, slowly drawing his thumb out of her mouth before licking the tip, the smile on her face widening as she watched the desire burn in his eyes. Oliver groaned when her lips returned to his neck, but they didn't linger there for long. With her free hand, she grabbed the hem of his shirt and began pulling it up, her other hand still cupping his erection through his boxer briefs.

Oliver's head rolled back as he pulled the rubber band out of her hair and ran his hands through the soft blonde locks. The sensation of her fingers doing so many wonderful things to his body was almost too much. He wanted nothing more than to pick Felicity up and lay her out on the table, but she had firmly planted herself on top of him, the control now in her hands, not that he minded. It was nice to just sit back and enjoy all the pleasure she gave him.

Warm lips pressed to soft skin as Felicity traced the lines of his body, stopping every so often to enjoy the way his fingers curled into her hair when she did something he liked. Her burning desire to be close to Oliver outweighed all other rational thoughts that most likely would have told her to stop had she been in the right frame of mind. This was dangerous territory she was treading, their friendship having been thrown to the wayside for something much more intimate and complicated.

What was it they were getting themselves into? It didn't matter, Felicity told herself. Right now, Oliver Queen was sitting beneath her, his hands tangled in her hair, and he wanted _her_. Bright red lips blazed down his chest and abdomen until she reached the waistband of his pants. Slowly, her fingers slid out from where they'd been holding him and began to undo the zipper.

The agonizingly deliberate pace drove Oliver wild. He wanted her to rip his pants off, but she continued to draw it out, her lips softly kissing the flesh just above his jeans. He wondered what other amazing things those lips could do. The thought made him moan again.

Felicity looked up at him, her eyes blazing azure in the soft glow of kitchen lights. A smile crawled over her lips as her hands fell to his hips and drew his jeans down over his thighs until they were removed from his body. His erection strained through the fabric of his underwear, but she paid no mind. Instead, her lips returned to the spot she'd been kissing earlier and made their way back up the line she'd drawn over his chest to his lips. Her fingers took hold of his shirt and slowly pulled it over his head until he was free of it as well.

Oliver was having trouble keeping it together as Felicity grabbed the hem of her placement dress and slid it over her head. It was dropped to the ground beside his jeans leaving her in a plain white cotton tank top and black tights. Her hands came to rest against his chest as curled tendrils of blonde hair framed her face. His hand came up to brush them back behind her ear before pulling her to his lips.

"Felicity," Oliver murmured against them. His hands moved to hold her closer, but she was having none of it.

Instead, Felicity tore away from him and headed south again, this time stopping at his navel. Her tongue snaked around it before dipping inside. He hissed his approval, his fingers tangling in her hair as she moved lower. Her hands slipped into the waistband of his black boxer briefs and slowly started to drag them down over his hips until he was finally naked beneath her.

The smile on Felicity's face curved ever more as her eyes gave him an appreciative once over. It wasn't that she hadn't seen Oliver naked before, it was just that this time she allowed herself to enjoy the view. There was no rush, no desperate need to fill a void that had been opened by a sudden tragedy. Tonight, it was just the two of them alone in her apartment, looking for a little peace from their stressful lives. Felicity vowed to give Oliver the comfort he was entitled to after all he'd been through that week.

Pulling her hair away from her face, she gazed up at him and their eyes locked. Felicity licked her lips before kneeling down between his thighs. A smile graced her beautiful face as her tongue ran over the tip of his erection. It circled several times before she took him into her mouth.

Oliver groaned as she softly sucked then released. Her tongue traveled down his length before running back up so her hand could wrap around the base. He was in her mouth again, this time going deeper as her eyes closed. The sensation of her warm, wet tongue made his brain go fuzzy as she continued her ministrations.

"Felicity, please, I don't know how much longer I can take this," Oliver begged. With one last circle of her tongue around his tip, she stood up. Hooking her fingers into her tights, she slid them and her panties down her gorgeous legs until the bottom half of her body was naked. Her lips pressed against his abdomen, kissing their way back to his mouth as she straddled his thighs and positioned herself in his lap. One arm wrapped around his neck as the other helped guide him to her apex. In one slow, fluid motion, she sat up, enveloping him in her wet heat.

They both gasped, mouths falling open as moans filled the room. Oliver wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to his body. Her lips returned to his as she arched her back, pulling out before sinking back onto him. His hands found their way to her hips, pulling at them to establish a slow, gentle rhythm as their kiss deepened. Their bodies moved in unison, their thrusts meeting halfway. Her fingers ran over his chest as he kneaded the flesh of her bottom with his hands.

Locked in a deep gaze, everything became about instinct. Bodies moved faster towards ecstasy, hips thrusting harder and harder until… "Oliver!" Felicity cried out as she arched her back, her muscles clenching around him as he continued to thrust up into her. Waves of pleasure radiated outward and spread through her body as her head fell to his shoulder.

It didn't take long before he too, was lost in his climax, spilling into with one last violent thrust of his hips. Oliver's fingers dug into the soft flesh of her behind as the rest of the world turned black. His eyes were solely focused on her as she slowly came off her high, ragged breaths spilling across his chest.

They sat there, the room reverberating with the sounds of their labored breathing. Felicity reached for the remote and turned off the classical music that had begun to play. Beneath her, Oliver shifted. His fingers stroked the small of her back just below the hem of her tank top.

"This really needs to come off," he murmured against her ear.

Felicity sat up, her arms braced on the chair to either side of his head as she gazed down at him, eyes burning with uncontained lust. Her bright red lips curled into a smile as she replied, "Then take it off."

Oliver heard the challenge in her voice, but he didn't allow it to cloud his mind as his hands slid beneath the white cotton and began dragging it up. It was teasing, pure and simple; his fingers lightly brushing along her sides as the tank top inched upward. Felicity giggled when they made their way to her rib cage. A knowing smile curved his mouth upward as he filed that information away for later reference.

When he reached her arms, Felicity raised them above her head as Oliver slowly lifted the shirt over her shoulders. It was tossed to the side leaving her in just a simple white bra. His lips fell to her neck as one hand reached behind her back and unclasped it. "This needs to go too," he whispered, sliding the straps off her shoulders until her creamy breasts were freed from their confines.

A content sigh escaped Felicity's lips when he finally let the bra fall to the floor at their feet. She leaned in, pressing her chest to his as their lips met. "Mmm, Oliver," she purred as his fingertips ghosted over her spine. It sent a shiver through her. She pushed away from him and added, "I think we should continue this in the bedroom."

Taking his hand, Felicity pulled him off the chair. "I like the way you think," Oliver replied as he followed her through the break in the brick wall. The door to her bedroom was off to the left. She pushed it open but didn't bother turning on the lights. The soft glow of the moon provided enough illumination through the French doors that led to the small patio behind the brownstone.

Her bed was situated in the center of the room facing the brick wall and a small black desk that ran halfway along it. It was covered in a lavender duvet with lime green accent pillows she was quick to throw onto the hardwood floor. "A little impatient?" Oliver teased as he wrapped his arms around her waist until her back was flush against his chest.

"Maybe just a little," Felicity replied as they inched up to cup her breasts. She tilted her head to the side when one hand reached over and pushed her hair away from her neck. Oliver's lips fell to her shoulder before slowly kissing their way along her creamy skin until they were just behind her ear. Another moan escaped her throat. She needed him more than she needed oxygen at that moment. Turning in his arms, she stood on the tips of her toes in order to reach his mouth.

The kiss started slowly at first, just her lips barely touching his, but soon Felicity pressed harder until he felt her tongue dart out of her mouth and gently traced the outline of his lips. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she felt the world disappear around her. Nothing else mattered; no one else existed. It was just the two of them alone in the universe.

Her hands ran down Oliver's back feeling the muscles ripple beneath her touch. When he bit her lip, she dug her fingers into his shoulder and groaned. His hands began roaming her body, her skin prickling wherever his fingertips touched. He tore his lips from her to blaze another trail down her neck to her shoulder.

"Oliver," Felicity moaned. Suddenly she was being lifted and placed onto the bed. Memories of their first night together rushed through her mind. They sent a flash of heat between her legs as Oliver crawled over her in order to reach her lips. His hands tangled in her hair as his body pinned her to the bed. Amid her quivering legs she felt his arousal press against her inner thigh. One arm wrapped around his neck as her other hand reached between their bodies to guide him where she desperately wanted him

Without hesitation, Felicity pressed his cock to her waiting wetness and he did the rest. She enjoyed the way he slid into her and filled her to the hilt. Their eyes met, the connection electrifying every nerve ending in her body.

"Oliver!" she cried as he thrust into her. Wrapping her legs around his thighs, Felicity forced him deeper with each dip of his hips. Oliver's lips came to her neck as her fingers sank into his hair. She closed her eyes wanting to take in all the sensations that were heaped upon her: the way his tongue lapped at her collarbone, the way his hands pulled back her hair for more access to her neck, the way he would grind his pelvis into hers with each thrust. Her fingernails carved deep crescents into his back as he sped up the pace.

Unlike their first time, Oliver didn't hold back. "Harder!" Felicity cried out, and he didn't disappoint. As his teeth sank into her shoulder, his hips slammed into hers making the bed creak and the metal headboard thump against the wall. The rhythm caused her to cry his name over and over while her nails scraped down his back leaving long red marks in their wake.

There was something about the way his name flowed from her lips at that moment that drove Oliver crazy. Coupled with the fact that she was moments away from her peak, it sent his desire for control into a tailspin. Pulling out completely and grabbing her by the waist, he threw Felicity onto her stomach before seizing her wrists and pinning them behind her back.

Her eyes widened in shock as he entered her from behind. Oliver slowly withdrew before thrusting back in hard. Felicity moaned her contentment as waves of pleasure rolled over her. He did it several more times, building her up again until she could no longer take it. "Please, Oliver! Harder! I'm so close!" Felicity cried as she buried her face in the soft duvet.

The grip Oliver had on her wrists tightened as he thrust harder and faster than before. In this position Felicity felt helpless, but the amount of pleasure he gave her increased tenfold. Each time their hips met, her body shuddered in anticipation. His name spilled from her lips and vice versa until, with one final thrust, they both tumbled off the edge.

Oliver's body limply fell on top of hers before rolling to the side in a panting heap as he released her wrists. Turning, Felicity wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled herself to his still heaving chest. Aftershocks of her powerful orgasm continued to spread through her as her head fell into the crook of his neck and she breathed in his intoxicating scent. It was deliciously spicy and masculine mixed with just a hint of leather and the outdoors.

Nuzzling his neck, Felicity placed a few more soft kisses just below his jaw before curling up at his side and closing her eyes. She let out a satisfied sigh as Oliver gently stroked her hair. Her ear pressed to his chest to listen to the rhythmic beat of his heart. It was her lullaby, softly lulling her to sleep as she lay there wrapped in his arms.


	3. Chapter 3

For the first time since returning from the island, Oliver realized he'd slept soundly through the night; a full seven hours of sleep without interruption. He'd had no nightmares, no flashbacks of the island, just pure, peaceful sleep. It was the sound of running water that had awoken him. Glancing around the room, he realized that he wasn't at home in his bed, but in Felicity's, and that she was no longer curled up at his side.

As he stretched out beneath her lavender comforter, Felicity's light footsteps tiptoeing across the hardwood floor caught his attention and he glanced up to see her stepping into her closet in just a towel.

"There's really no point in being modest. I've already seen you naked," Oliver said. She spun around, her expression somewhere between shocked and horrified. With a half grin, he threw the sheets to the side and got out of bed. "Good morning," he added, striding up to her and taking her face in his hands before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

Felicity sighed as her body relaxed. The tight grip she had on the towel loosened until it slipped from her fingers and pooled at her feet. Before she knew it, she was pressed to the wall as warm hands roamed her body. It took her a moment to realize what Oliver was doing before she placed a hand on his chest and gently pushed him back.

"As much as I'd like a repeat of last night, it's Wednesday and I really have to get ready for work," Felicity said before pursing her bruised lips in an attempt to quell her desires. The wounded look he gave her almost made her regret saying that, but there was more to her reasoning. Felicity needed to clear her mind and figure out what was going on between them. There was definitely something between her and Oliver, something he would probably never admit to, but she needed to try and sort through it before her feelings became a tangled mess.

If they had sex again, it would only serve to complicate Felicity's already confused emotions. On one hand, she wanted to comfort Oliver and if that meant having incredible, mind blowing sex, then who was she to deny him? On the other, she knew having incredible, mind blowing sex was meaningless at best. This wasn't how she imagined her relationship with her boss. It was the first time she was willing to admit she wanted more.

But wanting and having were two very different things. She knew Oliver was in no shape to have a real relationship at this moment in his life. He already thought of himself as fucked up beyond repair. And although Felicity didn't see him this way and tried her best to show him he was changing for the better, she knew it was futile until he realized it himself.

With regret coursing through her veins, Felicity lowered her gaze as she bent down to retrieve her towel. Slipping from Oliver's grasp, she headed to her bathroom across the hall and shut the door, her reason behind going back to her room completely forgotten. Leaning against the white painted wood, her hand came up to her mouth in an attempt to keep her sobs from being heard.

For the first time since meeting the real Oliver Queen, Felicity realized her feelings for him went far beyond the scope of her understanding. She had fallen head over heels for someone who might never be able to love her back. Having had a taste of what it might feel like if he shared the same feelings was what finally broke her already fragile heart.

Of course she shared some of the responsibility for this. Had it not been for her need to prove herself in the field, Felicity probably never would have had sex with him in the first place. She'd let it happen, so naturally, then naively thought she could handle the consequences like the adult she was. Unfortunately, that hadn't been the case. Feelings crept in, and finding out Oliver harbored some of his own had sent her careening over the edge without a parachute.

Pushing off the door, Felicity threw her towel on the toilet lid and stepped into the shower. The hot water burned her skin, but she didn't turn it down. It helped her refocus on breathing instead of her emotions. Each breath in calmed her while each breath out allowed her to let go of something negative she was harboring on the inside. It wasn't working, though. More feelings kept bubbling to the surface forcing tears to spring from her eyes again.

"Felicity, what's going on?" The sound of Oliver's voice behind the shower curtain startled her.

"What's going on?" Felicity repeated the question, unable to come up with an answer that would satisfy either one of them at that moment.

"Is everything okay?" he pressed. The way she'd walked out of the room earlier had alerted him something was off. When he heard her muffled sobs behind the door, Oliver knew she wasn't telling him the whole truth.

When she didn't answer, he pulled back the curtain to find her standing there, her arms crossed over her chest with her head down and tears sliding down her cheeks to mix with the shower spray. Felicity's head shot up. The look she gave him bordered heartbreaking. He stepped into the shower and enveloped her in his arms.

Felicity fought to break free of his tight hold, but when Oliver didn't let go, she gave up. Her soft sobs echoed against the white tiles as water cascaded down her back while he stroked her hair. "Why do you do this to me?" she cried. "Why do you make me want you when I shouldn't?"

Oliver chuckled, "What are you talking about?"

When she gazed up at him with sad baby blue eyes, he knew this wasn't the time to be cute or funny. There was something about that look that warned him what she was about to say had the potential for completely changing their dynamic. His smiled faded as he waited for her to speak.

Felicity took a deep breath as she stepped back from Oliver and said, "I don't know why I thought this would be okay. I don't know how I thought I could be okay, having a physical relationship with you when the only reason why we had sex in the first place was to comfort each other. I should have known my feelings for you would creep in sooner or later, and then last night happened, and now I can't forgive myself because I feel like I should have known better."

"Felicity, you're not making any sense," Oliver replied.

"I think what I'm trying to say is…" She couldn't bring herself to speak the words out loud. They sounded strange in her head, but saying them made her feel like they would only bring a world of pain.

"Tell me." He reached out and held her face in his hands.

As their eyes met, a pair of tears slid down her cheeks. Felicity swallowed the lump in her throat. "I… I… can't," she chickened out.

"Why?" Oliver remained calm and gentle, stroking away her tears as he waited for her to answer. He knew whatever she had to say pained her, and that he was probably not going to like it judging by the fact that it dealt with her feelings.

On the inside, he was scared out of his mind. He knew he wasn't ready to have this conversation with her, not in the midst of what was going on in his life. But Oliver realized that after their first night together, everything had changed and become more complicated. His actions that previous morning were proof. Maybe if he'd been able to hide his need for her a little better, this wouldn't have happened.

Little by little, he was beginning to see that he was just as vested in Felicity's feelings and wellbeing that he was willing to try. He didn't want to see her in so much pain over this inner turmoil she thought she couldn't talk to him about. What was the point of being friends if you couldn't share your feelings with each other?

"Because it scares me to think what might happen if I do tell you," Felicity finally admitted as her eyes settled on her bright pink toenails. She could feel her heart racing the more she thought about it. How was she going to tell him what she felt? How was he going to take it? That's where her main concerns lay. She was so afraid of losing him.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me," Oliver replied.

His soft, reassuring smile managed to bring her eyes back to his as she said, "Promise me you won't run."

"I promise."

"I like you, Oliver…" Felicity began. "I like you a lot… More than I should. And it scares me because I know you're not ready for this. I know you think you're too damaged to be loved by anyone, let alone me, and that you value my friendship more than you let on. But the more time I spend with you, the more I want to get the chance to prove to you that you're worth it and that you shouldn't be afraid of your past ruining your future."

It was her turn to reach up and cup his face as his eyes dropped from hers. Felicity could read the pain in them so clearly, and the uncertainty. They had all become mixed with fear as his body tensed, ready to run if need be. "Oliver, please," she begged, the tears stinging her eyes yet again. "I need to know, do you have feelings for me? And I'm not talking about friendship, because yesterday when you asked me if I thought about you, I knew what you meant. And when you kissed me…"

Oliver shook his head. She'd been right, he wasn't ready to have this conversation yet, but he wasn't about to hurt her either. He promised he wouldn't run, that they'd talk about whatever it was she'd needed to talk about, but this was getting dangerously close to things he wasn't ready to admit to. "Felicity, I kissed you because… you just looked so damn hot…"

Of all the lies Oliver could drop on her at the moment, that had to be the worse than the energy drink in a syringe. He immediately regretted it when her eyes narrowed. This was something the old Oliver would have said and gotten away with had it been any other woman, but this was Felicity Smoak, someone who easily saw right through him and would call him out on it given the chance. He braced himself for what she had to say.

Felicity sighed and ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "I shouldn't have brought this up," she said. "I'm sorry." She stepped out of the shower and grabbed her towel, wrapping it tightly around her body before she turned and added, "Feel free to do whatever you need to do. I've gotta get going. I'll just take a cab to work."

"Felicity, wait!" Oliver called out to her.

She turned. Leaning against the doorframe, she did as he asked, but when Oliver just stared at her, Felicity knew it was time to go. "I'll see you tonight," she said then walked out of the bathroom, leaving him alone to think.

Oliver hung his head in shame. His lie had hurt her far more than he'd intended it to. The way she'd just dropped the subject before turning to go ate away at him. He wanted to say something, to explain that he wasn't ready just as she'd surmised, but he'd gone the stupid route and let his old playboy personality seep in without even thinking it through.

Hopping out of the shower and grabbing a towel from the rack above the toilet, he ran to look for her. "Felicity!" he called her name a few times, but only got silence. He found her in her room sitting on the edge of her bed slipping into a pair of tight red pants.

"What, Oliver?" She sounded slightly irritated, but her gaze still fell on him.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to lie to you."

"I understand," Felicity sighed. "You've got a lot on your plate and I'm just adding to it. I shouldn't have pushed you like that, but one of these days, we're going to have to talk about what's going on."

"We will," Oliver promised. "Let's just figure out what the Undertaking has planned first and then we'll go from there. Is that okay?"

Giving him a half smile, Felicity nodded, "Yeah, that's okay."

That dazzling, Oliver Queen smile appeared on his face. Felicity could feel her insides melt, but she didn't dare show it. This wasn't the time. Not after what they'd just been through. She still needed to catch her breath and reel in her emotions before she could allow herself to enjoy that smile again.

"Can I at least take you back to get your car?" Oliver asked, knocking her out of her thoughts.

"Only if you get dressed first," Felicity replied. "You're way too distracting without your shirt on." His smile widened and she had to look away before one of her own appeared.

"No problem." Oliver could see the blush tint her cheeks pink. He always got a kick out of it. Things were slowly starting to become a little more normal now that they'd finally gotten past this bump in the road. Although he was apprehensive about opening up on his feelings for Felicity, he hadn't completely ruled it out, and that said a lot about what she really meant to him.

For now, though, he'd have a little fun with her in hopes of easing the tension between them. As he turned and walked out of the room to grab his clothes from the dining room, he dropped his towel before stepping out of the room.

"Damn it, Oliver!" Felicity yelled before completely losing it.

The explosive laughter that erupted from the other room made Oliver smile again. 'We'll be alright,' he thought to himself. Things would sort themselves out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the end of this one. Redemption is coming soon so please don't be too mad about where I left things between Oliver and Felicity. Love is not a linear path.
> 
> And don't forget, please feed the muse! She's hungry for feedback as well!


End file.
